Are the conventional practices of the farmers scientific?
Farmers have been experimenting for ages and there is a certain amount of science behind their practices. For example, when the jhum cycle was reduced to 4-5 years from 40-50 years, the farmers started cultivating more tubers than cereals. They realised that cereals are nutrient demanding and do not yield much. On the other hand, tubers do not require much nutrients and have a good yield. Hence, they switched to tubers. How can science imbibe traditional knowledge? Science should try to adopt traditional knowledge in contemporary situations, appropriately combined with modern scientific inputs wherever necessary. There inputs should be complimentary to traditional knowledge. Otherwise such efforts may prove to be fruitless. How can traditional knowledge be learnt from the farmers? The best way to learn from farmers is by working with them at the field level throughout the year. Why are the alternative methods for jhum cultivation suggested by the Indian council for Agricultural Researc
